I don’t know how the idea for this trip originally came up. All I know is that it was an impromptu decision made about three weeks ago. My friend Linda had come over to my place for a late celebration of the holidays and five hours of wine later, the trip was born. Well, actually only our main destination, the Mardi Gras, was born that night. The rest came in the subsequent days. Linda’s easy going, which makes her a great travelling partner. She was perfectly happy letting me do the planning, which is one of my FAVORITE things in life. Surrounded by my travel books and maps, the route began to take form. Fasten your seat beats — it’s going to be a great ride!